Image caption “I don’t think I have ever set foot in a Waitrose” – Amie Smith, with her family

Many families are struggling to put food on the table as the coronavirus lockdown robs them of their income. A report by food bank charities points to an alarming rise in the number of people in need of essential supplies. How are they coping and what more can be done to help?

“We have gone without meals so the children can eat. It isn’t nice when you are feeling hungry and you open the cupboard and there is nothing in there for you.”

Amie Smith and her partner Marcus were just about getting by before the coronavirus lockdown. Now they have had to give up their zero hours contract jobs and are relying on universal credit payments, food vouchers from the government and the occasional food parcel from local schools.

Their biggest daily struggle is finding enough food in the shops for their four children, aged two to 13.

The family is getting by on a weekly food budget of about £30. The children are entitled to free school meals, which translate into food vouchers during lockdown, but they can’t find anywhere to spend them. Amie says she has about £200 worth of vouchers, from the government’s free school meal voucher scheme.

But none of them is for stores in her south London neighbourhood and she is unable to use public transport during the pandemic for health reasons. She is frustrated by the offer of vouchers from what she sees as upmarket stores like Marks & Spencer and Waitrose.

“I don’t think I have ever set foot in a Waitrose in my life,” she said.

‘Becoming expensive’

Their car has broken down, so they find themselves using local convenience stores – which charge higher prices.

“It’s becoming very expensive. I just paid £5 for 30 eggs. That was the cheapest we could find.”

Image copyrightAmie Smith

Image caption Reid-Angel, two, and Bree, 11, are learning to cope with life in lockdown

Labour is calling on the government to “expand which shops are able to accept free school meal vouchers to include those supermarkets most present in our poorest communities”.

Under the current scheme, run by private contractor Edenred, every eligible child is entitled to £15 a week in vouchers for food from a selection of supermarkets: Aldi, McColl’s, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Waitrose and M&S.

‘Tidal wave’

The government says it recognises it may not be convenient for some families to visit one of these shops. It is “working to see if additional supermarkets can be added to this list”. In the meantime, it is advising schools to prepare food parcels for pupils on free meals.

Image copyrightPA Media

Image caption People are seeking help from food banks in record numbers

Many families – who may not have children on free school meals – are turning to food banks for essential supplies. This is putting an enormous strain on charities that provide them.

A new report by the UK’s biggest food bank network, the Trussell Trust, said it handed out 81% more emergency food parcels in the last two weeks of March, than at the same time last year. People struggling with the amount of income they were receiving from working or benefits was the main reason for the increase, the trust said.

“Like a tidal wave gathering pace, an economic crisis is sweeping towards us, but we don’t all have lifeboats,” said chief executive Emma Revie.

‘Fresh faces’

“There are fresh faces coming through the door,” she said. “People who really don’t want to be here, who have never used a food bank but suddenly find themselves at a point of crisis.”

These new clients tend to be small-business owners, or sole traders, such a hairdressers or cafe proprietors. They are waiting for universal credit payments or money from the government’s business loan scheme. The food bank has experienced a 20% increase in demand week-on-week since coronavirus took hold.

What can be done?

Extreme financial hardship exists even outside a global pandemic. Debt charity Christians Against Poverty says one in 10 of its clients live without a bed or mattress, or skip meals on a daily basis. It, and others in the sector, fear coronavirus will mean more people living like this – perhaps for the first time.

Payment “holidays” put off, rather than cancel, regular bills such as rent or council tax. There is concern people are simply piling up unmanageable debt for the future.

But there is support. Credit unions can offer low-cost loans for small amounts. People are also donating generously in this crisis and some of that money is given in grants so those in crippling hardship can put food on the table.

No government has had to cope with a crisis on this scale in peacetime and poverty campaigners have welcomed actions to help those in most need, through the benefits system. But a group of charities, including the Trussell Trust, is calling now for a coronavirus emergency income support scheme.

They say many families need money urgently, to prevent them being from being “swept into destitution”.

‘Grateful’

A government spokesman said it was “committed to supporting all those affected… through these unprecedented times”.

“We’ve implemented an enormous package of measures to do so, including income protection schemes and mortgage holidays For those in most need, we’ve injected more than £6.5bn into the welfare system, including an increase to universal credit of up to £1,040 a year. No-one has to wait five weeks for money as urgent payments are available.”

Amie and Marcus are just about managing to feed their children each day. But they are worried what the future holds, if they can’t get back to work soon.

“There have been times when we have had nothing but maybe beans on toast to give them,” says Amie. “We have to remind ourselves that there are people out there with absolutely nothing. We should be grateful for what we have.”

Those jailed over fatal stabbing

Grogan’s father Robert, 58, who had armed himself with an axe, was jailed for 14-and-a-half years for manslaughter, six years for wounding with intent and three-and-a-half years for violent disorder

Grogan’s mother Ann, 55, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years for manslaughter and three-and-a-half years for violent disorder, to be served concurrently

Friend and neighbour Charlie Dudley, 26, of Grove Park, was jailed for 16 years for manslaughter, six-and-a-half years for wounding with intent and three-and-a-half years for violent disorder, to be served concurrently

Cousin Liam Hickey, 19, of Eltham, was sentenced to three years in a Young Offenders Institution for wounding with intent and two years for violent disorder, to be served concurrently

Nigel Wray plans to remain “actively involved in the work of the Saracens Sports Foundation”

Saracens owner Nigel Wray has retired as club chairman with immediate effect.

Wray first invested in the club in 1995 and reclaimed full control in April 2018 by buying back a 50% stake sold to South African firm Remgro.

Saracens were deducted 35 points and fined £5.36m in November after an inquiry into business dealings between Wray and some Sarries players.

“As we enter a new year, a new decade, it is time for the club to make a fresh start,” he said in a statement.

“I am not getting any younger and feel this is the right moment for me to stand down as chairman and just enjoy being a fan of this incredible rugby club.”

He added that the Wray family “will continue to provide the required financial support to the club”.

Edward Griffiths is returning to the club as interim chief executive for the next 12 months.

Saracens established themselves as the dominant force in English club rugby over the past decade, winning the Premiership title on five occasions and being crowned European champions three times, most recently when they beat Leinster 20-10 in last season’s final.

But their reputation was severely tarnished by the financial scandal which emerged last year.

They were sanctioned by a disciplinary panel for breaching salary cap regulations in the past three seasons.

Saracens apologised for “administrative errors relating to the non-disclosure of some transactions” to Premiership Rugby Limited.

In a statement, Wray said the sanctions were “absolutely devastating” for everyone connected with the club.

He added: “It has been acknowledged by the panel that we never deliberately sought to mislead anyone or breach the cap and that’s why it feels like the rug is being completely pulled out from under our feet.”

They have won five of their seven Premiership games so far this season, but are bottom of the table on -12 points and are 18 points from safety.

Analysis

Chris Jones, BBC rugby union correspondent

Wray’s legacy has been tarnished by the salary cap scandal, and it is surely no coincidence he is standing down just months after the breaking of the storm which battered his and the club’s reputation.

However, Wray has had a seismic impact on English and European rugby over the past 25 years, both as the beating heart of Saracens and as a prominent and influential voice in the sport.

Wray has done as much as anyone to drag rugby union into the professional era. Without benefactors like him, the professional club game would not exist.

It has now revoked those of 143 drivers who had gained them through Vista Training Solutions while another 209 licence applications made by people who passed their qualifications through the college have also been rejected.

The transport authority added that no evidence of “fraudulent activity” had been found at any other private colleges but from February, qualifications will only be allowed to be gained from one of TfL’s eight testing centres.

“The most robust and relevant topographical tests are our own assessments,” said Helen Chapman, TfL’s director of licensing, regulation and charging.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Media captionGerti Qamili, a manager at Vista, was challenged after the secret filming

In a statement Ofqual, which regulates tests taken at private colleges, said it took “all allegations of qualifications fraud extremely seriously”.

Vista Training Solutions previously said it was “devastated to learn that such malpractice took place” and apologised “unreservedly”.

London blogger The Gentle Author has been photographing the changing face of London, focusing on what is known as “facadism”, the practice of destroying everything apart from the front wall and constructing a new building behind it.

Here, we present a few pictures from the series and the story of the buildings that once stood.

National Provincial Bank, Threadneedle Street, City of London, EC2

This Grade I listed building was designed by John Gibson as London’s largest banking hall, in 1863-65, with figures along the roofline representing locations where the bank did business including:

The Cock & Hoop, Artillery Lane, Spitalfields, E1

After it closed for good, in 1908, the building was incorporated into the Providence Row Night Refuge and, in 2006, converted into student housing for the London School of Economics.

London Fruit & Wool Exchange, Brushfield Street, Spitalfields, E1

This building was designed by Sydney Perks, in 1927, as a state-of-the-art auction room with a roof that simulated sunlight on cloudy days, parquet floors, careful detailing and significant craft elements throughout.

Since the fruit and vegetable market left Spitalfields, in 1991, it has housed many small independent local businesses.

The tenant of the new development is an international legal corporation.

465 Caledonian Road, Islington, N7

Mallett, Porter & Dowd built this handsome warehouse for their business, in 1874.

Redevelopment by University College London for student housing was turned down by Islington Council, citing inadequate daylight, due to the windows of the new building not aligning with those in the facade.

But this judgement was later overturned by the Planning Inspectorate.

And the development won Building Design’s Carbuncle Cup for 2013.

College East, Toynbee Hall, Wentworth Street, Spitalfields, E1

Designed by Elijah Hoole, this part of the Toynbee Hall campus, built in 1884-85, was demolished and facaded for the construction of Attlee House, which was completed in 1971 but itself demolished in 2016.

It will next front Gatsby Apartments, a development of flats for the commercial market.

Former Unitarian Chapel, Stamford Street, Blackfriars, SE1

Designed in 1821 by Charles Parker, the architect of Hoare’s Bank, in the Strand, this chapel was demolished in the 1960s apart from the portico and part of the ground floor, which stood in front of a car park for many years.

The Grade II listed Doric hexastyle portico is topped by a triglyph frieze and a pediment.

Its central door has a shouldered architrave and iron gates.

The Spotted Dog, 38 High Road, Willesden, NW10

The Spotted Dog was described as “a well accustomed public house” in 1792, by which time it was at least 30 years old.

In the 19th Century, it was famous for its pleasure gardens and in the 1920s housed a dancehall.

18 Broadwick Street, Soho, W1

Decorative brick inlay on the Berwick Street elevation declares this facade was built in 1886.

Originally a bakery, it became Central Chemists in 1950 when the ground floor and basement premises were acquired by Gertrude Kramer.

Michael Moss acquired the pharmacy and freehold to the building from Mrs Kramer in the 1970s and enlarged it to include 85-86 Berwick Street in the late 1980s, naming it Broadwick Pharmacy.

Richard Piercy bought the shop in 1990 and ran it as Zest Pharmacy until 2016.

In recent memory, the upper parts of the building were used as offices by music, film and voice-over businesses.